Chargers down Sinclair State to open weekend series

The Georgia Highlands College baseball team held a 2-0 lead early Friday night at LakePoint and led 2-1 through five innings, but it was four runs posted by the Chargers in their last three frames at the plate that secured a 6-3 win in the opening game of a weekend series with visiting Sinclair State CC (OH).

The Chargers scored one run in each of the first two innings. John White had an RBI single in the first and Nick Fink doubled and later scored on an infield error by the Tartan Pride.

Sinclair scored a run in the top of th fifth to make the score 2-1, but Georgia Highlands responded with two more runs of their own in the sixth.

The Chargers loaded the bases on a B Bell single and walks by Josh Kiser and Evan Mask. Jake Ferentinos was then hit by a pitch to drive in one run and Bronco O’Brien followed with an RBI single for a 4-1 GHC lead.

The Tartan Pride scored twice in the top of the seventh to make the score 4-3, but a run in the seventh and another in the eighth gave the Chargers the margin of victory.

Devin Bilardello singled and eventually scored on an RBI ground out by Kiser in the seventh inning for Georgia Highlands. Three more walks and an RBI groundout by O’Brien plated the Chargers’ final run in the eighth inning for the 6-3 final.

Colby Taylor allowed only two hits and two walks in a strong, six inning start to earn the pitching win. He allowed one, unearned run and fanned eight. The Chargers used four more pitchers with Britt Buckelew recording the final two outs in the ninth for a save.

Georgia Highlands (6-6) plays a doubleheader with Sinclair State CC (0-1) Saturday at LakePoint to conclude the three-game series.